Newsletter 37

Welcome to the Wrestling Gamers United newsletter #37

In this issue

1) Wrestling and Gaming Magazines
2) The perfect review
3) CAW
4) Are we too mean and stupid?
5) The PWX Roster
6) Never forget

1) Wrestling and Gaming Magazines
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What magazines do you think kick ass?

Part of our marketing strategy for Pro Wrestling X involves purchasing full page print ads in various magazines and we need your help determining which which ones to pick. We can't justify expensive ads in every magazine you read but we can sure afford to advertise in a couple of the most respected ones.

So please help us spend our advertising money wisely and tell us which wrestling and game magazines you think we should advertise in. They don't have to be major international publications either. Do you know a particularly cool magazine that's only available in your part of the world? Let us know and maybe we could use it to promote the WGU and our project.

Hell, the same thing goes for newsletters, wrestling websites, message boards, whatever. We've already received inquiries from websites in Germany, Australia, and the U.K. that we've never heard of and who would love to help get the word out about Pro Wrestling X.

So if you know of some place that we should advertise email me the info at Dave@WrestlingGamersUnited.com

2) The perfect review
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As far as I'm concerned, WMX8 is long dead and gone from my list of things to worry about anymore. Making your own game gives a guy much more positive things to occupy his time with. However, I recently found a link to this excellent review of WMX8 written by a gamer who regularly contributes to our message board. I wish I had read this before I spent a dime on that game. I also wish the reviews I've read on so-called independent game sites and in magazines would have been as honest.

Check it out...thanks to DarkOffspring
http://niak69.homestead.com/files/WMX8.htm

3) CAW
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This week I'd like to share with you our current plans for how wrestling styles and attributes will be handled in Pro Wrestling X.

You will be allowed to choose from a long list of wrestling styles when building your CAW. Each style will have it's own special strengths and weaknesses. For example, say you decided your wrestler would be from the "Lucha" class. Because Lucha is a style that emphasizes high flying top rope moves and speed your wrestler would be more proficient at moves like Frog Splashes and Shooting Star Presses. While Lucha class wrestlers may still perform submission and suplex moves if you wish them to, they will not have the same affect as if they were used by the respective classes of "Submission" or "Power".

In other words, the moves in PWX will not have set damage ratings. The damage each move does depends on the type of wrestler class using it. In some cases certain moves will not even be available to certain classes. For example, 500 lb. Giants will not be doing spring board planchas and 140 lb Luchas will not be press slamming heavyweights. We believe this will appeal to our core audience of gamers who don't want anything "cheap" happening during a match.

Wrestler Classes will also affect how your wrestler's special meter works. Successful attacks and reversals will make every class's meter go up but say for example your wrestler belongs to the "Showman" class. In that case, taunting after a move will increase your meter. Don't worry though, there will be a limit to the amount of taunting you can do to increase your meter. No more cheap taunting specials like the AKI games. In fact, consecutive taunting without pulling off enough moves will actually result in a decrease in your special meter. How the meter itself works will be discussed at length in the next newsletter.

Which reminds me, the special meters and clock display can both be turned off for more of a Fire Pro feel if you desire.

Will each class have any other special abilities besides influencing different move damage? They will indeed. But those plans are hush hush at the moment simply because they are far beyond what any other game has ever attempted to do and we want to suprise you.

4) Are we too mean and stupid?
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If you've been to any of the countless message boards floating around the internet you've no doubt been treated to some wonderful exchanges between WGU supporters and people who think we're either full of shit, committing business suicide, or both. Why? There is an apparently large group of uninformed gamers out there who feel that to voice any negative criticisms of THQ or Yukes is unwarranted and they defend these companies with the religious zeal of Harley Davidson owners who pull their guns when you dare mention that their $30,000 dollar pile of metal and rubber is no better than a Honda at half the price.

But we have to realize that the Yukes fans are likely a younger group of gamers than we are and there is a very good chance that they have no idea in hell what guys like us have been put through with things like the No Mercy bug and THQ's near criminal handling off the issue and the infamous "WMX8 will be a successor to No Mercy gameplay" screwjob. It's really not their fault if they don't know the history of our project or it's reason for existing. Since the WGU site was relaunched with it's focus squarely set on the Pro Wrestling X project we have the outward appearance of just another game developer. And when these new people look around our site and witness the type of venomous feeling we bare towards THQ and friends it's no wonder some people get the impression that we're an unprofessional and loud mouthed bunch of wannabe jerks.

And I couldn't care less.

Since when did we agree to abide by the unwritten code of silence between competing developers when it comes to having an opinion about another company's product or conduct? The only relationship I give a damn about is the one between us and you. Period. Pro Wrestling X doesn't have to answer to THQ shareholders or Yukes executives. The only opinion that is going to make a difference to us is the opinion of the gamer who actually buys PWX. And the only response that will make me 100% satisfied that we did our job will be, "Holy Shit!" and not, "Well, maybe the sequel will fix all these problems."

We are the black sheep and the underdog of this shark infested industry and their rules do not apply to us. If they did, we never could have gotten this far and I would have stopped a long time ago. Don't forget, the WGU was kicked into motion by the lies, false promises, and horrendous customer service of THQ in particular. We're not going to put blinders on and forget where we came from for fear of appearing "unprofessional." If actually communicating with your fans and answering their questions, telling them the truth, and behaving like an honest human being instead of like some thumbs-up corporate weasel is unprofessional then that's what we are and proud of it.

We know that our future fate depends on the job we do creating the best game we can in PWX. If we fail or lose sight of our purpose there will be no second chance. If we fail to deliver on our promise to listen to the fans who supported this project it will be game over for us.

I guess the point I'm attempting to make is that we may be in the business of making a video game but we are not part of the video game business as it currently operates. We have no interest in making a quick buck off of desperate and hungry wrestling gamers. Other company's main goal is to take your money. Our main goal is to make you happy. We've been told over and over that we can't compete in this industry without a famous license or popular face to put on our box and that we lack the experience to really make a difference.

I'm sure plenty of people told Nirvana they couldn't compete in the music industry because they didn't dress or sound like Bon Jovi. And I'm sure the guys who made the Blair Witch Project we're told their little movie didn't stand a chance because they didn't have a huge studio behind them.

Well then, just keep telling us we can't do it either. See where it get's you.

5) PWX Roster
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There has been a little confusion among PWX followers this past week stemming from an announcement I made earlier regarding the involvement of indie wrestlers in the project. Rest assured that PWX will ship with a full fantasy roster compiled largely of the creations of Jessica S. and Alek T. among others. Why are we approaching indie wrestlers then? Well, I believe we have come up with an amazing idea to include indie talent in a way no other game project has ever done and it's something that will give the indie wrestlers involved exposure and promotion on a global scale the likes of which few of then have ever had. The bonus for gamers is that it will allow you full access to the moves and likenesses of all the indie stars who end up getting in on the project.

6) Never forget
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I can't stress this point enough--PWX is a game by the people for the people and I sincerely thank each and every one of you for supporting us in this amazing venture. I've got a talented and dedicated crew committed to creating the sim-style wrestling game we so desperately need. But it's the support and encouragement of our fans and supporters that keep us going through thick and thin. Keep those emails coming, we live on 'em.

In the meantime and in-between time, that's it. Another edition of Wrestling Gamers United.

Thank you all,
Dave Wishnowski